Good Dad Guide

Marshall Charles

Description

Most dads want to be awesome dads who are willing to do whatever it takes to help their children grow into successful adults. And they want to have fun doing it! With his trademark humor, Christian comedian and motivational speaker Charles Marshall helps guide dads through the joys and trials of fatherhood. With intriguing insights, biblically based wisdom, and stories from his life and the lives of others, he explores seven key attributes of awesome dads and shareswhy real men change diapershow to maximize time with your kidswhy you should sometimes let your kids failwhen you need to fight for your kidshow becoming a father can be the best thing you never intended From encouraging dads to participate in their children's lives to sharing practical ways to prepare kids for adulthood and everything in between, Charles Marshall helps men gain the confidence they need to be awesome dads.

Informations

• Publié par: Harvest House Publishers, Inc.
• Date de parution: 26 juillet 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780736965293
• Langue: English

Extrait

Endorsements
I love a good story. The Good Dad Guide tells stories that will make you a better dad-encouragement with a grin. I like this book and so will you.
Ron L. Deal
author of The Smart Stepfamily and The Smart Stepdad
Becoming a dad is one thing- being a dad is many things. If you want to be good at it every day and in every way possible, Charles Marshall can help you. If you re like me, you learn best through stories, and there s plenty in these pages that will drive home the wisdom that, when applied, will bless your children.
Steve Chapman
author of A Look at Life from a Deer Stand
If you ve ever longed for fathering support from a dad who is right there with you in the trenches, The Good Dad Guide is for you. In this powerful and practical handbook, Charles Marshall initiates candid conversations about the challenges and the rewards of being an invested dad. With engaging stories with a dash of clever humor, this book serves as a road map for fathers who need someone to teach them what it actually looks like to lead and love their children well.
Michelle Watson, PhD, LPC
author of Dad, Here s What I Really Need from You
The Good Dad Guide reads like a roadmap for being the best dad you can be. This book will help you stay on the right road-and out of the ditches. Practical advice. Powerful stories. Encouraging insights. And an easy read. Take The Good Dad Guide for a test drive, and enjoy the ride!
Tim Shoemaker
speaker and author of Super Husband, Super Dad
HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
All Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version , NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Cover by Writely Designed
Published in association with MacGregor Literary, Inc.
This book contains stories in which people s names and some details of their situations have been changed.
THE GOOD DAD GUIDE
Copyright 2016 Charles Marshall
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
ISBN 978-0-7369-6528-6 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-6529-3 (eBook)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Marshall, Charles W. (Charles Wesley), author.
Title: The good dad guide / Charles Marshall.
Description: Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2016.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015051272 (print) | LCCN 2016015050 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736965286 (pbk.) | ISBN 9780736965293 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Fatherhood.
Classification: LCC HQ756 .M3444 2016 (print) | LCC HQ756 (ebook) | DDC 306.874/2-dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2015051272
All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author s and publisher s rights is strictly prohibited.
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the many men I ve been privileged to know who have modeled the best of fatherhood.
Acknowledgments
I know with great certainty that I wouldn t have seen the success that I have without the love and support of my wife and best friend, Laura Marshall. She is a gifted writer, loving mother, giving wife, and wise business partner. I m profoundly grateful to have her.
I m honored to once again work with Gene Skinner as my editor. Gene is a man of rare character, faith, and ability. I value and appreciate his many contributions toward making this a better book.
Bob Hawkins and Larae Weikert are living examples of business people who are ruled by Christian principles. When I first met both of them and began discussing the possibility of a relationship with Harvest House Publishers, I was struck by their humility and genuine spirits. I greatly appreciate the time and interest they have invested in me.
Chip MacGregor is known as one of the most respected and knowledgeable agents in the industry, but I mainly think of him as a friend. I love getting to spend time with him when we get the chance, and I am thankful for the many personal and professional contributions he has made in my life.
I wish my father, Fred H. Marshall, were still on this earth. I miss him constantly, and his contributions to my life and this book are too numerous to count. I think he would get a kick out of reading this book, and I look forward to sharing it with him one day.
Like countless other dads, I believe that my children are the best kids on the planet. Not a day goes by that I don t thank God for placing them in my life. They constantly teach me how to try harder, reach further, stand stronger, and love deeper.
Contents

Endorsements
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part 1: Provide
1. A Tale of Two Laundrymen
2. Build a Boat
3. Real Men Empathize
4. Chew on That for a Minute
5. Why Walgreens Dared to Do It Differently
6. LOL Already
7. I Love You with All My Internal Organs
Part 2: Participate
8. Diaper War Stories
9. Getting Shousy
10. A Purple Curse or a Prehistoric Blessing
11. Marshall s Law
12. Get the Picture? Be the Miracle
13. Get Down Tonight
14. I m Going to Need That in Writing
Part 3: Prepare
15. The Shaky Saga
16. Little People Are Watching
17. Mother s Day Surprise
18. Seven Powers Empowerment
19. Guiding with Grace
20. What s in a Name?
21. Sorry About That
Part 4: Protect
22. Good Dads Hold On
23. The Dad Deal
24. Standing Guard and Protecting Innocence
25. The Film Fear Factor
26. The Fatherhood Standard
27. Not One Word
28. Are You Praying to Win?
Part 5: Promote
29. Old Spice and Whiskers
30. Seeing What You Expect
31. Exit Stage Right
32. It Doesn t Count If You Don t Say It
33. Lending an Ear and a Prayer
34. The Date You Don t Want to Miss
35. The Buck Stops Here
Part 6: Prevent
36. Disconnection Through Inaction
37. More SkyMiles, Less Family
38. When to Win and When to Lose
39. Stepping Up Instead of Stepping Out
40. The Celebrity Dad
41. The Wonder (Woman) of Halloween
42. Busy Being Busy
Part 7: Persist
43. Voted Most Likely to Be Unpopular
44. Putting the Kids to Bed Eventually
45. Running the Good Race
46. The Day My World Shook
47. How Kids Spell Love
48. A Hero s Secret Support
49. Envisioning Your Destination
About the Publisher
Introduction

B ecoming a dad is the best and most exciting thing that can happen to a man. Nothing else I ve ever experienced has even come close. It s better than being a published author. It s cooler than receiving a standing ovation. It s more awesome than getting a big paycheck. It s more exciting than traveling and seeing famous landmarks. It is better than doing television or radio interviews. Seeing the faces of my children, hearing them laugh, and hanging out with them feeds my heart in a way that none of that can.
Having kids changed me in ways that I couldn t even imagine before I had them. It changed how I live and where I live. It changed the way I drive and where I park my car. It changed the reason I get out of bed in the morning. It changed what I pray and how I pray. And most of all, it changed my perspective.
Many years ago, before I was a speaker, I worked as an independent musician, traveling around the Southeast doing concerts at small churches. Back then my wife and I had no children and, as a result of my being a full-time musician, were poorer than church mice. Even when I did manage to make a few dollars, I had to invest that money in my career, buying more equipment or recording new music.
One day, when I was recording a couple of songs in an Atlanta-area recording studio, the studio owner started talking to me about the birth of his second child. He was obviously thrilled to have her and asked if my wife and I had any children. I told him that we didn t and weren t likely to anytime soon because we were so broke. He told me that having kids was awesome and encouraged me to trust God to take care of my family.
But having kids didn t look that awesome to me at the time. Fatherhood looked like a prison of responsibility, and I didn t want to get trapped. I had dreams. I didn t want to throw all of them away and become shackled with the drudgery of taking care of a family.
At the time, I couldn t see that I was scared and that I was being held captive by fear. Because I was fearful, I didn t take risks that would lead to growth and blessing. Like a slave clinging to his chains, I was holding on to dreams and desires that wouldn t compare to the freedom and fulfillment that being a dad would hold for me.
When my daughter was finally born, all of that changed in an instant. The dreams that seemed so enormously important before suddenly appeared trite and meaningless. They were small, brittle things that evaporated in an instant as my universe expanded exponentially. My world seemed limitless with possibility because it now contained a person worth fighting for. Knowing this little girl gave me purpose, strength, and resolve that I lacked before. Having a daughter saved me from becoming caught in the trap of myself.
Being a father has been the most wonderful, challenging, frightening, fulfilling, beautiful, and revelatory experience I have ever encountered. There have been many times I have literally gotten down on my knees and thanked God that I didn t miss out on being a dad.
This book is a celebration of fatherhood. My purpose in writing it is to encourage you, to